Seminar in Criminology Research and Analysis

Spring 2010 Course Syllabus

Course Information
Course Number CRIM 7301
Days & Times Tuesdays 4:00pm – 6:45pm in GR 3.402

Professor Contact Information

Professor Robert Morris, Ph.D.
Phone (972) 883-6728
Email address morris@utdallas.edu
Office Location Green Hall - GR 3.526
Office Hours: Immediately before/after class or by appointment OR if my door is
open. (Please email me to set up an appointment if you need to meet
about something for more than just a few minutes)

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

Students taking this course should have a basic understanding of ordinary least squares regression
and correlation and should have successfully completed CRIM 5316 and CRIM 5315 (and preferably
the categorical regression elective). It is recommended that students come to class with a quality data
set that they can use for the class project (preferably their dissertation data). Students who do not
have data will have access to a variety of data sources that can be used to complete course
assignments/projects.

Course Description
CRIM 7301 Seminar in Criminology Research and Analysis (3 hours)
Examines a variety of quantitative methods and procedures used in criminological research. Students
will plan and execute an independent research project.

Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes

Upon completing this course, student will:
1. Students will be comfortable gathering, organizing, and cleaning raw quantitative data for
criminological analysis.
2. Students will be able to understand, apply, and present analyses from a variety of staple and
advanced/contemporary quantitative techniques commonly used in criminological research.
3. Students will have completed an independent quantitative research project toward the
completion of the dissertation and/or for publication in a peer reviewed academic journal.

Required Textbooks and Materials:

It is preferable that students obtain a personal copy of STATA for home use. The Intercooled version (IC) is
fine for this class but SE is needed for larger datasets. A 1-year license can be purchased from STATA for
$98. To order a copy, please contact StataCorp directly (use your .edu email): Phone: 800-782-8272 Online:
http://www.stata.com/order/new/edu/gradplans/gp-direct.html

Books:
Allison, P. D. (2001). Missing data. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 0761916725

Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2009). Using multivariate statistics. (6th Ed.). Boston:
Pearson/Allyn and Bacon. 0205459382

Luke, D. A. (2004). Multilevel modeling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 9780761928799

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Long, J. S., & Freese, J. (2006). Regression models for categorical dependent variables using Stata.
College Station, TX: Stata Press. 1-59718-011-4

Singer, J. D., & Willett, J. B. (2003). Applied longitudinal data analysis: Modeling change and event
occurrence. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 0195152964

Kline, R. B. (2004). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. (2nd Ed.). The Gulliford
Press. 1572306904

Suggested Readings (not required for class)

*Menard, S. (2002) Longitudinal research. (2nd Ed.) Thousand Oaks: Sage. 0761922091

*General data analysis in Stata –RECOMMENDED for STATA USERS

Hoffmann, P. P. (2004). Generalized linear models: An applied approach. Boston: Pearson-Allyn
and Bacon.

*Data Management
Long, J. S. (2009). The workflow of data analysis using Stata. College Station, TX: Stata Press.
Luke (2002?). Multilevel modeling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

*Multilevel Modeling
Raudenbush, S.W., & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data
analysis methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

*Survival Analysis
Box-Steffensmeier, J. M., & Jones, B. S. (2004). Event history modeling: A guide for social
scientists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

NOTE: Additional readings may be assigned throughout the semester.

Course Format
This class will be offered in a computer lab. The course will consist primarily of practical data
management for quantitative analysis and practical data analysis (applying the statistics to research
questions). Students are EXPECTED to have read all assigned readings prior to coming to class.

This class is a seminar and depends on students to openly discuss the assigned readings in class. You
MUST come to class prepared for discussion. Outside readings are assigned to foster discussion.
Please do not come to class unprepared!

Grading Policy
Grades are composed of:
Homework Assignments 50% (1/3 article summaries, 2/3 homework)
Research Project 45%
Participation/Discussion 5%

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HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

Data Analysis Assignments:

For each substantive topic on data analysis, you will be required to complete a related homework
assignment that will be provided to you in class. All homework assignments involved applied data
analysis and the use of a statistical software package (Stata v11 will be used for in class examples,
but you are free to use whatever you are comfortable with). Homework assignments MUST be
submitted via the course eLearning page. You will submit .txt files for all work (narrative responses,
presentation of programming language (syntax), and procedure output). Homework assignments are
DUE before the following class meeting unless otherwise specified by the Professor. You will be
provided with additional details in regard to homework during class meetings. Homework
assignments should be completed independently, but I encourage students to discuss the subject
matter and practice running and interpreting models together. Homework assignments will be
reviewed in class. Students should be prepared to present/discuss their homework in class.

Journal Article Summaries

Each week (beginning with the section covering OLS), students must submit a review/critique of a
journal article of their choice (as long as it is a CRIM related article) that used any of the techniques
covered in class for the PREVIOUS week. Article reviews should be no longer than 2 single-
spaced pages (12pt Time Font) and should focus on the analysis. The structure of the summary
should be as follows.
1. General summary of the study and the method/s used (do not paste the abstract).
2. Abridged review of the measures used (unless the measures are unorthodox or
groundbreaking).
3. Brief overview of the analytical procedure.
4. Critique of the procedure as applied by the author/s.
a. Was anything important left out?
b. Did the author/s violate model assumptions (or fail to acknowledge them) or use the
wrong approach?
5. Critique of the findings presented and the analysis used to develop results.

NOTE: All summaries MUST be submitted via the eLearning webpage as a .doc or .pdf. Paper
copies will not be accepted. You should be prepared to discuss your summary during class.

Course Project and Presentation

Students will work individually to complete a research project with the goal being the submission of
a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal and/or for use as part of the dissertation. Each project must
be approved by the UT Dallas institutional review board (IRB)—applications should be submitted
week 2. Papers should be submitted in APA format; however, if you plan to submit work to a journal
that requires a different format, you should use that format for your style of citation, headings, tables,
etc.

Papers should be no longer than 35 pages (preferably around 25 pages), but not less than 20
(including title page, references, tables, and etc.). Extensions to the deadline for the submission of a
“final” and “polished” product will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will only be allowed
for papers that have a realistic shot at publication.

A typical paper of this nature will be broken down by the following (weighting will be topic
specific):
1. Introduction and statement of the problem (2-4 pages)
2. Literature review (5-7 pages)

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 3. Methods/Analytical Procedure/research questions (2-5 pages)
4. Findings/Results (3-6 pages)
5. Discussion/Conclusion/Policy Implications (5-8 pages)
6. References
7. Tables/figures (these should be “publish ready”)
8. Appendices (To include your organized DO file and a FINAL Log file—to be submitted as a
text file)
9. Cover letter to journal editor (affix to end of paper)—this must be included even if your
paper is not ready for submission.

*Include tables and figures at the end of the paper and include a reference to tables in a manner
consistent with a journal submission (e.g., use “-Table 1 About Here-“ between the paragraphs where
the table should appear)

Note that depending on your topic, data, measures, and analysis, your paper’s structure may vary
from the above example. Your project MUST be submitted electronically via the eLearning portal on
or before the due date noted below. Paper copies will not be accepted and all paper will be screened
via turnitin on eLearning.

Also note that you are encouraged to utilize your classmates for peer review prior to submission of
your final product.

Students will present their findings on an assigned date at the end of the semester. Consider the
presentation as you would for a national conference (i.e., ASC or ACJS). Presentations will be
cut off at 12 minutes, no exceptions. The use of a slideshow and handouts are STRONGLY
encouraged.

Late papers will not receive credit, NO EXCEPTIONS. You may turn in your paper early,
however.

Participation/Attendance Grade
Attendance and thoughtful participation in each meeting is expected of ALL students—see below.
DO NOT come to class unprepared! Attendance requirements will follow UT Dallas Academic
Policy Statement 800401. Do not arrive to class late.

Discussion: Students will be assigned to various course readings (see below) and will be required to
facilitate class discussion throughout the semester. Discussion assignments will be assigned during
the first class meeting.

Grading: Grades will be based on the below scale. Final grades will be rounded to the nearest integer
(e.g., 89.5 = 90 = A; 89.4 = 89 = B)

Grade Scale
A+ = 97% and up
A = 93% - 96%
A- = 90% - 92%
B+ = 87% - 89%
B = 83% - 86%
B- = 80% - 82%
C = 70% - 79%
F = Below 70%

CRIM 7301 - Course Syllabus Page 4

Assignments & Academic Calendar

NOTE: READING ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN CLASS.

Section 1 Data Management and Analysis Basics

Section 2 Data Screening, Transformation, and Missing Data
Section 3 Exploring Raw Data (bivariate analysis), Scale development, Analysis Organization
Section 4 Factor Analysis and Latent Class Analysis
Section 5 General Linearized Modeling (Logit, Poisson, Neg. Binomial, Nominal Models, etc.)
Section 6 Path Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)
Section 7 Event History Analysis (aka Survival Analysis)
Section 8 Multilevel Modeling (aka Hierarchical Linear and non-Linear Modeling—HLM)
Section 9 Growth Curve Modeling (trajectory analysis)

PROJECT DUE DATE: May 4, 2010 by 4pm (must be submitted to eLearning)

Course & Instructor Policies

Class Attendance
This course is a graduate level seminar. Class Attendance is expected at each and every meeting; roll will be taken
accordingly. DO NOT ARRIVE LATE! More than 2 unexcused missed class meetings will result in a FAILING
grade. You should be well prepared to offer a meaningful discussion and critique all readings assigned to each
respective class meeting. Note the last day to drop a graduate course in the Academic Calendar available via
the UTD webpage (Spring 10’ – last day to drop with a W is Tuesday, April 19).

Computer/Email Access
Students are expected to have set up their university computer account and understand how to use email and
eLearning. You must email me ONLY with your UTD EMAIL ACCOUNT!!! Otherwise, your message will end
up in a junk email folder…. Email messages will be sent to the class in case of class cancellation or changes to
topics, assignments, and etc. The class website (eLearning) will provide access to the syllabus, announcements and
some required readings. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure that your UTD mail account is not full and that
you check it every day. Messages returned to me due to a “full” account will not receive follow-ups. DO NOT
EMAIL ME VIA WEBCT!!! Doing so will result in a delayed respond, or no response at all.

Make-up Exams & Late work

Make-up exams/assignments will only be given for the following reasons a) Severe Illness (proof required – a
legitimate physicians letter will be required and verified); and b) Religious holy days with sufficient prior notice in
accordance with UTD policy; c) death of a family member (proof required). SIMPLY NOT FEELING GOOD IS
NOT A VALID EXCUSE!

Classroom Citizenship
As noted above, in-class participation is a substantial component of your grade and everyone is encouraged/required
to engage the professor and fellow students during class as to contribute to the discussion. Please ask “good” and
“relevant” questions of me and of your colleagues! You are each here to learn and the best way to do that is by
engaging in discussion about the topic and sharing ideas. In my experience, classes that actively discuss and debate
the issues are much more fruitful and more enjoyable for the students and for the professor. Chances are that
someone else has the same question/s as you, so please ask; it can only help your grade! (Asking thoughtful
questions related to the topic does constitute class participation). However, I insist on respectfulness in the
classroom for all participants. Disrespect to any classroom participant will not be tolerated. Any classroom
participant behaving in such a manner will be asked to leave the classroom and may be subject to grade reduction or
referral to the appropriate university officials.

In class distractions will also not be tolerated. This means that there will be NO USE OF ELECTRONIC
DEVICES! The use of a laptop is allowed for the general audience for CLASS PURPOSES ONLY. Surfing
the internet and/or chatting is not allowed. Students caught violating this policy will lose the privilege of
laptop use in class and will lose participation points, and will be asked to leave. Please be respectful in class.

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Sound recording devices are NOT allowed in the classroom.

Technical Support: If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an email to:
assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.

Field Trip Policies

Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University
policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding these rules and
regulations may be found at the website address
http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm. Additional information is available
from the office of the school dean. Below is a description of any travel and/or risk-related activity
associated with this course.

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the
orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student
organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and
activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to
Z Guide, which is provided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and
established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Series 50000,
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities
of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available
to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391). (CONT.)

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she
is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such
conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such
conduct.

Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the
value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that
degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her
scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s
own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism,
collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is
unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for
details). This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism
and is over 90% effective. DO NOT CUT AND PASTE WORK FROM WEBSITES OR ANY OTHER
SOURCE!!!

Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or
other reproductions of copyrighted materials, including music and software. Copying, displaying,
reproducing, or distributing copyrighted works may infringe the copyright owner’s rights and such

CRIM 7301 - Course Syllabus Page 6

 infringement is subject to appropriate disciplinary action as well as criminal penalties provided by federal
law. Usage of such material is only appropriate when that usage constitutes “fair use” under the Copyright
Act. As a UT Dallas student, you are required to follow the institution’s copyright policy (Policy
Memorandum 84-I.3-46). For more information about the fair use exemption, see
http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between
faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning
security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official
student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and
staff consider email from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the
security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be
used in all communication with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T.
Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These
dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be
followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other
words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will
not receive a final grade of "F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the
instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the
respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If
the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a
copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the
School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate
Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic
Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff
members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s
end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within
eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course
and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed
automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those
of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are
Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday,
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22,PO Box 830688Richardson, Texas 75083-0688, (972) 883-2098
(voice or TTY)

CRIM 7301 - Course Syllabus Page 7

 Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to
eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom
prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind.
Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral
presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may
have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special services
such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation.
Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a
disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the
professor after class or during office hours.

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to and
observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under
Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence,
preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete
the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment
may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment within the
prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a
religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable
time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a
ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will
abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

CRIM 7301 - Course Syllabus Page 8